Hello, fellow tutu-lovers! Emma here, ready to whisk you back in time on another incredible ballet adventure. This month, we're stepping back to 5th May 1720, and oh my, it's a time for truly regal dancing.
As always, Magic Meg, my shimmering pink Shire steed with her golden hooves, is patiently waiting to whisk me away. She shimmers under the Derbyshire sunlight, her white mane and tail flowing in the breeze. It’s such a pleasure to see the sunshine today after a long, grey winter - I’ve definitely earned that freshly pressed pink tutu for today’s adventure! This month, my trusty leather rucksack is packed full of my favourite writing materials and my pink feather pen. It's brimming with excitement as I eagerly anticipate discovering what secrets this time period holds for my ballet journey.
This month’s adventures see us taking a journey from the UK, across the seas, to France - yes, you heard me right! Time travel isn’t limited by borders. This particular day marks a moment in ballet history we haven’t explored before - it’s the opening of the prestigious Opéra Garnier in Paris. Talk about grand, it truly sets the stage for elegance, for sophistication and beauty, a setting for some of the most celebrated ballets the world has ever seen. The Opéra Garnier was a landmark in Parisian culture, a stunning neo-baroque palace built by the architect Charles Garnier, adorned with incredible detail both inside and out. I can almost picture myself in my tutu gliding through those opulent corridors and onto the magnificent stage - dreaming of taking center stage as the ballet unfolds, surrounded by Parisian artistry.
It was this time, back in 1720, that ballet took center stage at the Opéra Garnier, evolving into the spectacular form of art we know and love today. It’s a real privilege to feel the echoes of this ballet evolution around me. The building is filled with exquisite stories, stories that reverberate from the grandeur of the opera house all the way to me, and beyond. It's as though the building whispers, "Behold, the elegance of dance." And you know me, I'm all ears.
While Paris vibrates with dance and music, let's journey a little closer to home, to see what is happening in England.
England has a vibrant cultural scene in 1720 and London, at this point, was experiencing a flurry of artistic creativity, particularly in the theatre and dance. Imagine, if you will, London, a captivating scene of cobblestone streets, elegant coaches gliding through the bustling crowds, and theatre performances drawing the eyes of everyone - from aristocracy to the ordinary folk. The sound of music from various instruments floats through the air. The era was filled with a theatrical energy. A blend of grandeur and the anticipation of something beautiful that everyone wanted to be part of. England's theatrical scene is brimming with a lively theatrical energy, fueled by passionate dance troupes and audiences alike.
What we are seeing in this period, are innovative pieces with inventive choreography that captured the essence of theatrical story telling in their dancing. Think ballets, masquerades, and all kinds of performances, blending comedy, tragedy, music, and dance into a magical tapestry, a stage that transported audiences into captivating tales of love and sorrow, courage, and resilience.
While we don’t have the specific titles or content of the performances at the time of my journey in England in 1720, my imagination can run wild, picturing elaborate sets, costumes, and dance sequences, all weaving a tapestry of theatrical beauty that audiences from every walk of life were eager to experience. My head’s full of imagery: of elaborate costumes with layers of silk, ruffled ribbons, intricate embroidery. All of this adds to the theatricality of these stories told through dance.
I do know, that even in 1720, in England, the tradition of ballet in theatres had evolved significantly. In 17th century England, we see ballet emerge as a spectacular show within the court, performed at palaces, the dances full of grace and elegance, with stories interwoven into elaborate ballets celebrating legends and heroism. These performances drew in huge crowds from the aristocracy and royalty. By 1720, with England's theatrical scene in full swing, this trend had changed.
England was starting to see a rise of public ballet performances in theatres, accessible to people from all walks of life. Imagine the atmosphere! A buzz of anticipation as the curtain rises, theatre lights dimming, the silence, the hushed voices as the story unfolds in the music, in the dancing... I think the stories are most powerfully conveyed through ballet as there is no spoken language but just pure, passionate expression through the dancing.
Now let's move across to France. At the Opéra Garnier in Paris in 1720, imagine it. The excitement, the whispers, the grandeur. In France, ballet was already a firm tradition at this time. You have to imagine how beautiful and refined everything is! It’s all a delicate touch with refined choreography and beautiful dancing.
As I venture into the heart of this magnificent opera house in Paris, I can already feel the magic seeping into my own pink tutu, and dancing shoes. I imagine the grand entrance of dancers and the applause of a refined French audience that knew good dance from the ordinary.
It is incredible to consider how many steps I've taken through time with Magic Meg, always striving to wear my pink tutu, in order to spread the message of the joy and beauty that comes from ballet, even hundreds of years ago. I believe we all have an inner ballerina waiting to be unleashed, and for me, the ultimate mission is for everyone in the world to discover their inner ballerina and get themselves a tutu! What's better than a pink tutu, you ask? Nothing, absolutely nothing. I'm already dreaming up my next adventures in time, my pink tutu sparkling with a kaleidoscope of dreams ready to take on the world!
If you're wanting to travel in time with me, check in next month for another exhilarating time-hopping blog post from www.pink-tutu.com It’s an adventure for your mind and soul and we are going on a voyage to share it! Until then, happy dancing everyone!
P.S. Remember to always dance your heart out!
